The 24 Elected
by Luke Attmey
Summary: Aspen Lark, a crippled boy from District 7 tells us what it was like to be a tribute in the 25th Hunger Games, The first Quarter Quell.


Ladies and gentlemen, it has happened. Yes I admit I have the Games fever, Hunger Games that is. I Just saw the movie two nights ago, and I have been inspired by it and the books (which of course I read first) to write… this. This Fic is dedicated to all you woodchucks from my home in district 7. I own nothing to do with the HG so now that is out of the way. And now without further delay happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor.

The 24 Elected

By Luke Attmey

Glade, capital of District 7 two weeks before Reaping Day

"As a reminder to the rebels that their children were dying because of their choice to initiate violence, every district was made to hold an election and vote on the tributes who would represent it."

Loud and uncontrollable murmurs of differing emotions, rage, pain, agony were heard from everywhere.

"This is unfair" screamed Muc the town radicle as he jumped up on stage. "Why are we being punished for crimes our parents and grandparents committed?"

"Silence," called out a capital Peacekeeper "remove yourself from that stage citizen unless you wish to meet those of your family that chose to die by rebelling against the Capital."

"I'll get off this stage as soon as your precious President Snow accounts for all the lives that were stolen for a fair and just rebel-" His last words were cut short as a bullet passed through his head. Muc's outburst was understandable he had lost his brother and son to the Hunger Games. Muc's wife had committed suicide after her son was slashed to death in the bloodbath of the Twelfth Hunger Games. Ever since then Muc had not been afraid to say what he thought about the Capital, this was in the hopes that a Peacekeeper would shoot him so he could join his family.

The mayor announced that in a week, at his house, a general assembly was held to "assess the potential tributes." I of course was there with my father. On the day of the meeting the mayor called us all to order and said that he would call each child up and they would tell the group about themselves. Youths and their parents had come from all over the district to assure that they could defend themselves and tell the district why they should not (or for those few morons who wanted to be in the games why they should) be in the Hunger Games.

When they got down to the L section we had heard everything from sobbing pleas for mercy to logical explanations why they would be vital to the work force in the future (and then there were also two heroic idiots). The moment I feared had come "Lark, Aspen" was called out and I stood up. Step, step-clump, step, step-clump, was all that was heard as I made my way to the front.

"Hello," I said into the microphone "my name is Aspen, I am fifteen years old. I would very much appreciate it if you didn't vote for me, because as you can see I am crippled. Therefore, I will have a hard time fighting. If I go then there will be little to no chance I win." And with that I walked back to my seat.

"How did you get hurt" A little girl in the row behind me asked.

"Well you see when I was young I would go with my mom into the fields were they would chop down trees and I would pick up the chips that flew off as kindling to help start cooking and hearth fires. Anyway, I was maybe your age when I went after a chip that was in the path of my mom's wind up and well… I could deftly have been injured worse but ever since that day my right leg has never been able to do much and that is why I carry this staff so that I don't have to put some much weight on it."

"I'm sorry for your leg mister. I promise I won't vote for you" said the little girl.

"Well thank you." I replied. The rest of the night went rather uneventful and we dispersed at about 10 o'clock. I told my dad I was going to take a walk so he headed for home and I went out into the woods in silence. I went where I always went to the clearing were mom died. About a year after I was crippled mom was chopping down a tree when one of her co-workers realized much too late that she was in the path of a falling tree. Mom was able to push her best friend Rose out of the way but she herself was not so lucky. And as I sit on the stump of the tree that killed my mom I think of this and many other things. Like what will happen to me in the future, I cannot join any work force in this society with a useless leg I am just extra weight. I must have sat in that clearing for an hour because as I walked back into town the clock of the justice building struck 11 as I was walking by the town "social club" (it's a bar we just call it that and hide the alcohol when the annual batch of Peacekeepers come in to force us to watch kids kill each other) I hear Splint the town drunk holding her own assembly.

"Its plainand smil yasee" she says. To me it sounds like she has already consumed enough alcohol to kill a horse. "we nees a paira scrapgoats, two who we doneed and won do nofin for us livin."

"Oi wats about the mental one 'oos mummy had to do the talkin for 'er"

"An that cripple kid 'e can't do much for us livin can 'e."

I run, it hurts but, I can't bear to listen to any more of that. When their drunk, half the district would listen to Splint, and she is suggesting they send in Willow and me. We can provide nothing for the community. All it seems we have become are "get out of the justice house free" cards. And if I know Splint (which unfortunately I do) she will have every one of those sops telling their neighbors to vote for Willow and me.

One week later the election is held. Potential tributes are not allowed to vote, or for that matter be near the area where the ballots are being cast. So the time I would have spent waiting, begging that it was not me in front of the place where my destiny was being decided I spent waiting, begging that it was not me half a mile away, under the guard of Peacekeepers.

An hour later we were called back. "Well, don't you all look so excited" said the abnormally high voice of Blaxtrous Tann the guide for our district for the past five years. "We will start with the ladies, it was VERY close, but of all out of all this one name was cast the most, drumroll please" he was meet with hateful silence "WILLOW BRANCH."

"NNNNOOOOO PLEASE YOU CAN'T DO THIS" Willows mother screamed as her daughter was lead up the stage.

"Let's give it up for Willow ladies and gentlemen" more hateful silence. "Tough crowd, well on to the guys, this year's male tribute from district 7 this year will be… ASPEN LARK."

My heart sinks Splint did it she convinced enough people to vote for the two who could only save their children for one more year.


End file.
